The White House’s recently proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) would significantly reduce funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), America’s most important conservation program.
For more than 60 years, the LWCF has been a major source of funding for land and waterway preservation and recreation projects in every corner of the nation—enhancing our quality of life, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation, and supporting local economies.
Photo by: Lydon “Rocket” Kersting
We are calling on Congress to uphold its longstanding, bipartisan support for the LWCF and the vital work it makes possible: acquiring land to connect large, wild landscapes or completing beloved national trails like the Pacific Crest Trail.
“From the most remote wilderness areas to neighborhood parks, LWCF funding has made a positive impact on American lives, whether on the trail or down the street,” said Paolo Perrone, the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s Senior Conservation Manager. “You can see these investments on postcards from Yosemite and in pocket parks in Los Angeles—our federal land management partners meet Americans where we want to recreate.”
Since Congress and President Lyndon Johnson created the LWCF in 1964, the program has enjoyed broad bipartisan support. In 2020, that support culminated in the Great American Outdoors Act, which made the LWCF permanent and fully funded at $900 million annually. This was a major conservation milestone supported by both parties and signed into law by President Trump.
The current budget proposal is a surprising and concerning reversal. Weakening the LWCF after only five years is a threat to public land conservation efforts in every state. It will undermine decades of progress and jeopardize future projects nationwide.
Photo by: Charlie Willard
For example, about 10% of the 2,650-mile PCT still remains on private property, even though it was one of the first two National Scenic Trails designated by Congress in 1968. Through the LWCF, the PCTA works with willing sellers to acquire these missing pieces—ensuring the trail is completed and permanently protected for future generations. Without this vital funding, our momentum will stall, and the trail will remain fragmented.
Perhaps most surprising, the LWCF does not use any taxpayer dollars! It is funded through a small portion of offshore oil and gas royalties—a commonsense reinvestment for land and water resources.
Conservation and outdoor access benefit all Americans, making them non-partisan, national priorities.
Outdoor recreation contributes more than $1.1 trillion annually to the U.S. economy and provides more than five million jobs. This industry has an outsized economic effect on rural gateway communities that rely on access to public lands. The PCTA strongly urges Congress to maintain full funding for the LWCF and reject proposals that would diminish it in the upcoming budget.
Photo by: Megan Gorsky
And you can help. Congress still needs to approve a final spending plan. Contact your Senators and Representatives today and urge them to support full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund — just like they did five years ago.
Public lands are part of our American legacy; they are worth protecting. Thank you for taking time to ensure they remain protected for all of us and our future generations.